Devil-spawn and Demon-taint: A Fiendish Take on Skull & Shackles (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

"The shortswords are not my first weapon of choice, but if none of the rest of you want them, I will use one until we have a chance to sell them. At least I'll be able to do some damage if we really get desperate."
I agree on the consumables. Put them where they have the most utility and don't hold those against the overall loot. Also agree with working toward long-term balance and not worrying overmuch in the short run.

Deader looks at the chainmail, shrugs and nods. "Good idea."

Picking it up, he rolls the metal mesh around like bread dough. "Sometimes I forget to breathe. Then I remember I'm supposed to after a while. I think wearing this in the water would be a bad idea. Maybe I can fix it so it comes off easy."

Having claimed a simple suit of leather armor, Joneth looks at the pile of spoils Cedrick has gathered with mild interest. "Other than perhaps a healing potion, I do not see anything else that particularly interests me. Other than coin, anyway."

The rest of the night sees the crew sink deep into hedonistic pursuits, drinking and eating deeply from the plunder of the Man's Promise. The Rahadoumi captives are kept lashed to the rail of their ship, and are subject to some abuse - but they are protected from any abject depravity by Grok and Riaris who keep most of their wits about them.

Any night-time shenanigans you want to try? - or roll on the AM and move forward?

With his work ahead of him, Cedrick notes the value and attends the ships quartermaster to exchange some loot for gold, Or notionally trade for wanted items by whatever party members and then returns to complete the split.

"That Pike was worth more than a Captains share of loot, so will be a while in remedying that balance, but the rest were fairly near enough." after slinging the payments to his party members, he opens his journal for their inspection and to show everything is on order.

He spends the rest of the evening in a state of semi disgust at the loose discipline and barbarism of such uncouth sailors. He seems content enough muttering to his new pets, joining Grok and Riaris in warding off too many abuses of the captives.

For our part in the capture of a Rhadoumi ship, for giving good account in the fighting, and for our bounty of sailor kills and the capture of an officer, we have been granted loot for the divvie as follows for the crew as listed alphabetically:

Cedrick
Deader
Fish
Joneth
Nachni
Obisyth

A payment of funds to 1500 gold sails, or 250 per man.
A bonus yield of 500 gold sails.
A Shortsword +1
An Amulet of Natural Armour +1

Consumable goods, of the following nature:

3 x potions of cure moderate wounds
1 x potion of invisibility

Of the personal effects and items held by the captured crew the following items of plunder.

165gp from the Sailors
Magical Boarding Pike - the value yet to be appraised.
2 x Masterwork Shortswords
Chain Shirt
Pearl jewelry, to the value of 75 gold.

A totalled value of approximately 6,900 pieces upon the open market, equating to 1,150 pieces per man, divided as follows:

Cedrick: 950 pieces of gold, potion of cure moderate wounds.
Deader : Chain Shirt and 900 pieces (950 value), potion of invisibility.
Fish: Boarding Pike (to the value of 2,150 pieces).
Joneth: 950 pieces of gold, potion of cure moderate wounds.
Nachni: Masterwork Shortsword and 800 pieces of gold(950 value), potion of cure moderate wounds.
Obisyth: The Amulet (the value of 1,000 pieces).

All items apportioned to party members have been done so at the ‘net’ value, ie 50% of market. All 'unclaimed' items have similarly been disposed of at a basic 50% If/When you sell them, you retain any value you receive. Nothing comes back to the pot. At some later stage we will build a party ‘treasury’, however I will hold off from that until we get all our personal gear to a decent basic level first - any concerns? GM or otherwise?

Deader accepts his victory purse with glee that even surpasses his usual manic happiness. "Coinscoinscoinscoins Coins! I don't even really know why I love 'em so much, but they sure are nice!"

Worth mentioning that come morning you'll have one last chance to trade at the Wormwood quartermaster. It's reasonably well stocked with the normal accoutrements of pirate life at PRD prices. Just state what you buy / sell in an OOC comment and I'll rubberstamp it.

So in summary we 'sold' the +1 Shortsword and one of the M/work swords, along with the petty jewellery

Cedrick puts his coin away, some more 'exotic' future purchases in mind. Looking at the basic 'runaway bag' he had fashioned earlier, he is content with what he has. He picks up a spare suit of studded leather from the fallen corpses only.

I'm just going to stow my money and hope noone steal my pike. Only shenanigans for me are coming from that lovely lovely twenty in perform. I was singing for the crew after all.

The two things I am looking for are a large wooden shield and a scimitar. A cutlass will do if that is all they have.

I still have my clunky wooden armor. However, it floats real nice unlike the boat anchor that Deader chose.

That pike was sure a killer in the value stakes, will be a while getting that thing balanced back out. Always the hard part to sort out at the early stages of a campaign though... you end up getting the 'good item', then have to wait a while til the others get caught up :p As for armour, I thought about a chain shirt too, but I'm going to save until a bit of heavy armour comes along for any 'land based' activity.

Nachni is more interested in other types of magic goodies. She'll be saving up for a while too...or maybe gambling it all away if she feels like it :)

Well at least you have 950 gold worth of value toward it Nach! hopefully something drops that you can use, rather than having to go pay retail for it!

Poke

Paizo was having conniptions when I tried last night

At dawn, a few hours after the celebration finally winds down, the ship’s bell sounds, calling all hands on deck. Some of the crew don't have far to move, merely rolling from where they passed out in the wee hours and lurching themselves to their feet. Others come up from a little further away and you amusingly note that Conch and Rosie arrive suspiciously close together with rosy embarrassed cheeks and ruffled clothes.

Meanwhile Riaris and a hungover looking Scourge organise the shackled Rahadoumi into a long line of captives and shuffle them over from the Man’s Promise onto the Wormwood. They are paraded before the crew, but given the weight of alcohol's aftereffects upon the head the jeering and abuse is less enthusiastic.

Captain Harrigan comes down from the forecastle strutting like a well laid peacock and addresses the captives first "It isn't your fault really, being born to a godless heathen land and not knowing your place in the world. Right now though, I'm giving you a second chance..." grinning evilly "Join me crew, and you'll get an even share of what's coming to you."

After a pregnant pause a few of the Rahadoumi sailors step forward; and Scourge roughly cuts their bonds and gives them a hearty whack on the back "Hur hur, ye're a pirate now ye bastards" and the sailors
take their places among the Wormwood’s crew. Most of the crew having been pressganged themselves at some point, there isn't much sign of vocal opposition... after all, extra bodies will lighten the load of the work.

Captain Harrigan then turns to all of the Wormwood's crew “All right, you scurvy tars! You’ve done a right good job by me — I’ve got meself a second ship now, and despite the look of her she’s a decent enough prize." pausing to allow for a few desultory cheers and 'hear-hears' "But I still have only one crew. So here’s the plan — the Wormwood will sail on with our new crewmates here," gesturing to take in the Rahadoumi "while Mr. Plugg will pick a
crew to sail the Man’s Promise to Port Peril, where she’ll be worth a few gold broken up as salvage."

“As for the rest of these fine salts here” a sweeping hand taking in the remainder of the captured ship’s crew “some might be worth a bob to slavers... but if the proffered life of a pirate’s not for them, they can spend the rest of their lives at sea!” and with that Harrigan grabs the female officer that you got to surrender by the throat and throws her overboard to the accompaniment of some cheers and laughter from the Wormwood’s crew... though mainly from those who've pledged to Plugg.

She plummets to the water screaming before the cry is interrupted by the wet smack of making contact at an odd angle. A glance o'erboard shows her lying face down in the water... unmoving. The force of the gesture is not without result though, and many of the remaining sailors scramble to swear their loyalty to Harrigan. With that, the Captain takes his leave and returns inside to his cabin.

Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge then stand at one side in conversation and the occasional point and gesture at both their cronies, your group and some of the Wormwood's other crew.

Nachni slides in close and whispers, "Looks like trouble again. Suppose they're debating whether to send us with Harrigan or send us with Plugg to Port Peril? Might be our chance."

"Suppose we are going to know soon enough, we look like a tight group, so they'll probably keep us together... a return to Port Peril would have its advantages, I just need to think to what end it will suit me though... I get to Port and then what?" Cedrick seems to be asking himself the question as well.

He gives the Hellhound an absent scratch behind the ears as he talks and thinks.

"Bye lady!" Deader waves cheerily to the unmoving body slowly drifting away on the tide.

"Port Peril. Wonder what it's like there." the odd man mused to himself a bit sarcastically.

"I think if we get to go with Mr. Plugg, we should probably kill him."

Cedrick says nothing in response, but as his eyes move about it seems as though all Deader is doing is saying what Cedrick is thinking.

Obi silently listens to the pronouncements by Harrigan.

Together we are strong, divided we are not. If we stick together, then we will survive. And hopefully Scourge and Plugg and their cronies will not.

"Sounds like the best plan for everyone involved."

"I consider it a given that their minds are turned to the same purpose as they look at us"

"Well sure. We're crewmates after all. We're all supposed to be working together toward the same ends." Deader said earnestly.

Obi looks at Deader: By crewmates working together, I assume you mean that those who are not with us will be eliminated?

"If it comes to it, there will be some for, some against, and some staring at the deck trying their hardest not to see anything. Reckon its the against that we need to care about"

Deader shakes his head to Obisyth. "I'd rather he just saw things our way. That's why we should kill him."

Nachni just shakes her head, "Well there you have it. I'll certainly not speak in their defense. If we get the opportunity, we take it. Hopefully they pick us." A sharp-toothed grin splits her lips.

It doesn't take long for your suspicions to be realized when Plugg's voice rises up above the din "Right, you heard the Cap'n - we're gettin a crew together for the Promise... so Scourge calls yer name and ye got ten minutes to grab kit and get aboard her. I want to be under sail within the hour." he then nods to Scourge and the lummox's voice sings out in it's dulcet tones.

"Kroop, Ratline, Narwhal, Barefoot, Quinn, Rosie, Giffer, Tilly, Fipps, Jape, Aretta, Bootlick, Deader, Nachni, Obisyth, Fish, Joneth... and you four godless bastards" pointing out four of the original crew of the Promise... one of whom was the one that Obisyth kicked while he was bound.

Pointing out Bootlick "An go get Hungry from the bilges... put him in the same over on the Promise... NOW MOVE IT YE BASTARDS!"

Deader grins and salutes, ducking down into the hold for his few possessions, stopping in the quartermaster's hold for a quick bartering session before heading across the gangplank to the other ship.

Not waiting to be told twice, Nachni vaults back over the rails onto the Wormwood to collect her things. All the old gang except Grok...this should be interesting. Surprised they didn't try to split us up...their mistake. She stops by the quartermaster to bid farewell to Grok before returning to the deck of the Man's Promise.

.. one of whom was the one that Obisyth kicked while he was bound.

But would he recognize Obi. She was larger and in the form of a Undine at the time of the kick.

Obi heads over to the other boat to collect what little she has acquired over her time on the ship while calling out to Spark to inform him that there is a new ship to track. She then returns back to the rest of the group.
This should be fun. How long until the first one becomes shark bait.

"A recipe for trouble," Joneth mutters after hearing the roster. Not one to waste time, the tiefling rogue moves quickly, heading for the quartermaster's hold looking to acquire a set of well-made lockpicks, as well as a quartet of daggers. With that matter taken care of, he rejoins the group, ready to board the other ship.

Basically, he is purchasing masterwork thieves' tools and four daggers, which would amount to a total of 108 gold pieces.

Obi will head to the Quartermaster's shop and see about getting a Large Wooden Shield, a backpack, and a sling and some stones.
DM VoV - let me know if this is all available, and if it is all at standard prices.

A new one for the list: Harrigan. Oh how many on my list? Sing a song, breathe deep, and never breathe again. Fipps, Jape, Aretta, Scourge, Plugg, Harrigan.

Fish is content with her pike, but follows Obisyth to the quartermaster, picking up a few lengths of rope and chain.Are any of the two I spelled among the four?

"No need for the quartermaster for me, suppose we will be back in Port fairly soon" Cedrick gathers his belongings and heads off to move Hungry aboard the new ship, and into its bilges...

Purchases are fine

Transferred across to the Promise, the cut-price crew readies the ship and you get a feel for the fact that you're understaffed with a short crew. There are a few tears... mostly from Conch as Rosie leaves him behind on the Wormwood and makes away with you. She gives him a relatively brusque turnaway, but you can sense that there's a bit of hurt hidden within. Kroop is the last of the crew to take his place, laden down with what seems like a couple of dozen knives and a couple of trussed chickens around his neck like a garland. Half deep in cups he moves below without too much fuss.

Riaris catches Joneth and Cedrick for a moment before you make your final way. Giving rough counsel in a surprisingly couth tongue "Watch yerselves... I know there's not good blood between you and them, but the men can fight... just be careful aye?"

There is little fanfare at your departure, Harrigan giving Plugg a nod and wave as the two ships begin to pull slowly away from one another on the tide and wind.

___________________

Your first day aboard the Promise is marked by a shake-up among the crew. All of you are assigned to either the deck of the bilges, set hard and back breaking work while Scourge's cronies and the Rahadoumi are set to the rigging, or more idle tasks on the deck. Plugg takes a more hands-on approach to captaining, and is oft prowling around with his cat in hand... searching for a small sign of slacking off to punish with blood.

The night leaves you exhausted and ready for a night at sleep - though thankfully the grub is much improved as the Promise was full of foodstuffs and Kroop managed to keep himself sober enough to manage a decent stew and some bread. Much to Rosie's dismay though, Plugg puts a direct stop to her fiddle playing - and the mood on deck is downright funereal.

No need for profession rolls - just an indication of whether you seek out any of your new crew or old.

Obi patiently goes about her business, but she gets more and more annoyed with each demeaning task that the fool assigns her and the rest of the group.

Soon, soon we will have our vengeance.

Fish likewise concentrates on getting the tasks done and not getting whipped. If either of the two pirates she captured are on board, she keeps an eye on them. To Obisyth, When we fight again, I can increase your size. Might be useful.

Obi grins at Fish: It would be interesting, then my club would be like that of a giant.

Right, or the pike, if you want it.

I do not believe I can use your pike. I prefer a club or a scimitar. Also, I have the ability, as you saw, to make this little piece of wood strike as though it were made of lead. I cannot do that with weapons that are not wood.

Assumption of small plant existence is fine.
The answer to shilleagh question is in the spell text: It deals damage as if it were two size categories larger (a Small club or quarterstaff so transmuted deals 1d8 points of damage, a Medium 2d6, and a Large 3d6) - and since the spell explicitly states club or quarterstaff I'd say that it wouldn't work on a greatclub.

Nachni spends most of the day in a dark mood, furious at being denied the freedom of the rigging.
Can you confirm which specific crew were assigned to rigging? The four Rahadoumi, Fipps, Jape, and Aretta?

Cedricks plan is to maintain relations with the allied and neutral crew from the Wormwood, but also to begin coming over a bit warm towards the Rahadoumi...

"A fight was a fight lads, but I wasn't going to stand by and see you lot subjected to the abuse after... yeah I was one of those fellows watching over you rather than living large... no don't thank me, I'm not asking for that, only that we make the most of the hand we have been dealt..."

Or happy to play that out fully if required!

Rigging: Narwhal, Barefoot, Ratline, and two of the Rahadoumi

Cedrick isn't given much chance to talk with the Rahadoumi during the day, due to Scourge and Plugg's oversight - but the opportunity presents itself that evening. His overtures are met with a wary calm by three, though the once that suffered at the boot of Obisyth has a less impressed look upon his face.

After his talk, the injured one spits phlegm still speckled with blood on the deck and asks a simple question "Which one of ye kicked me when I had the hood on?" his accusing eyes showing that perhaps he knows, or at least has been given, one answer and is challenging Cedrick to see what his words are.

Oh sweet, a chance to do my schtick!

"Well it wasn't the one pissing on your heads, if thats what the measuring stick is. Things hadn't cooled yet, and it was regrettable what happened, although there was a belief you were casting some kind of sorcery. With that said we are men of war and we all know how these things go when the blood is up, tell me, how different would our treatment have been had that fight been lost and I was your captive, sorcerous or otherwise?"

"Is it justice you seek? An apology? A duel? We're alive now, and that's what matters. I have survived duels, beatings, hard labour in the bilges for not toe'ing the line, and have had more lives than a bloody ships cat, reckon there's some merit in letting things in the past be things in the past, turn your mind to the future eh? Now we're crew, when that kickin happened we were strangers."

Diplomacy 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

"Friend if I might ask your good will a little more, perhaps you can tell me a little bit about these fine dogs? Seems one is a bit injured though I hope to fix her good as I can."

Goodberries: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5

After the days work, Obi takes out the small bush that the Rahadoumi had on their ship and casts a spell which causes several of the berries to take on magical properties.

Seeing that the Rahadoumi are not completely healed, she gives the one that was kicked and any others a berry each.

These will not fully heal you, but they will help. They should also fill your bellies like you ate a meal, which is more than can be said for what is likely to come from the kitchen.

I created 5 of them, they last 2 days, let me know how many were needed for the Rahadoumi, max 1 each. I will also eat one myself. If there are any left, I will give them to whichever other character is most injured.

Deader finds himself at the prow, laying with his head facing the front of the ship, one leg kicked up on the railing, his foot bouncing a steady, quiet rhythm. He stared at the night sky and whistled that same little diddy he often hummed or sang snippets of. His hands were busy carving one of the reefclaw's pinchers. He wasn't really looking at what he was doing, but his hands seemed to know their job well enough.

Occasionally he'd look over at the others with a grin, completely oblivious to the somber mood on the deck.

"Anyone know how long to port?"

Cedrick's speech is heard, but there is an intransigence that he cannot force himself over. The mention of sorcery is met with an indignant grunt of denial and distrust "You say all this... but I wager that if the hood were on your head, forgiveness would not be easily to your lips. You say we are crew, yes... then why do you not drink with them" pointing towards where Fipps and the other cronies of Scourge linger.

The question of the dogs is answered by another of the Rahadoumi, a lithe man with heavy bags under his eyes "They were pets to our captain... a liberty at sea he would not be allowed in Rahadoum. It is said the breed is touched..." and the man makes a small warding sign.

Obisyth finds her overtures of kindness roughly rejected, not a single Rahadoumi takes a goodberry from her. They don't go as far as to spit on her feet... but she gets the sense that they aren't too far from that.

Deader's query is answered by Sandara, who was lurking close by "Should be at least a week or more, depending on the winds."

"Because the way we came aboard is the same way you came aboard, a hood over the head and a kick in the teeth. Whether we like it or not, now we are crew and thats the hand that Desna dealt us. We were yesterdays pressers, you are todays pressers, and I'll wager that lot were pressers from who knows how long ago. Its what happens now that matters, and if its all the same to you fellows we'll be port bound and maybe off on our merry way with all this just a bad dream. Lets let matters go and conduct ourselves now as disciplned men of the sea, not a pack of frakkin undisciplined baboons"

Cedrick offers his hand forth firmly to shake, as any good Taldane ships Officer would.