GM_Pace's Serpent's Skull
Game Master jhpace1

(A new day in the morning! But first, the night.)

(Night 3 on Smuggler's Shiv. Guard schedule, if the shift schedule is the same as before.)

(Men's Tent: Adriano, Gelik, Jask, Varash)
(Women's Tent: Noel, Tessara, Aeyrs)
(Lean-tos: Sasha, Ashana)
(Hammocks: Shevan, Ishirou, Phillip)

(Map of the campsite here. The circle of spike & wire traps has been added.)

(Night guard schedules....1 to 1 hour and 15 minutes each)
Adriano & Ishirou
Shevan & Jask
Ashana & Shevan
Varash & Gelik
Phillip & Sasha

Perhaps it is your traps, or the watches, but the night appears to pass uneventfully, save for the usual raucous night noise of the jungle.

Sounds good.

(SMUGGLER'S SHIV - DAY 03)

(If anyone had missing hit points (lethal or subdual), add 2 to your total for the "safe" sleep. This cannot go above your normal maximum.)

The morning arrives, and Sasha wakes everyone up in the camp. Sasha herself doesn't want to leave sight of the egg she has nested next to the firepit. The redhead during her watch let Phillip do all of the spotting work, staying inside the camp.

The castaways are feeling good and bad this morning. Gelik fixes breakfast with Varash, whistling a merry tune. Jask adjusts some of the tent poles and rope with a smile on his face in the morning light. Ishirou appears less gloomy as he polishes his sword and goes through morning exercises. Shevan, however, looks like he woke up with a headache. Aerys can barely drag herself out of her tent with the still-comatose Noel & Tessara. The jungle, momentarily quiet at sunrise, slowly picks up its' cries and hoots again.

(GM hint: if you want to change a NPC's Attitude or Morale, you have to do it once a day in the morning, or use special circumstances in the story.)

Gelik has a pot of brew ready for the group. "Ah!" he says, seeing others come up to the firepit. "Thank the gods for dreamless sleep. I feel much better this morning. Breakfast is ready - we have smoked fish, smoked crab, a few leftover mushrooms from last night. But alas," the blonde gnome said, looking sideways at where Sasha was sitting, "no omelet, I'm afraid."

"You crack this egg and I'll crack you." Sasha said from where she was seated on the ground next to the reptile-bird egg. She put one hand on it possessively. A thump was heard, and Sasha jerked her hand back. "It pecked!" Sasha exclaimed. "It pecked the egg! It's going to hatch!"

This looks good; I'm starving. Phillip sits down to eat, and does so with vigor.

"You should let it hatch normally." Jask advised, coming over. "I have seen chicks die when 'helped' by humans out of their egg. They need the fight out of the shell."

"Well of course I'm going to let it hatch without my help." Sasha rebuffed the older cleric. "That doesn't mean I'm not going to sit here and watch! Oh! It'll need food, too!" the woman said, starting to grab some of the smoked fish.

Sasha looked at Phillp and Adriano. "Of course, this means I'm not going with you today." she stated.

Adriano walks up to Ishirou "How are you feeling this morning, still have that feeling of dread." he pauses a second "If you would like maybe you can come with Phillip, Ashana and I for a stretch of the legs."

Diplomacy 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

The ravenhaired fighter came up, his eyes slightly bloodshot. "I think I know what everyone was talking about with the dreams here." Shevan announced to the crowd getting their breakfast around the firepit. "I just had the worst dream. We were eating that poisoned meal again, but there was seawater coming in, and a snake bit me from the soup!" The big man shuddered, then covered a yawn with his fist. "So if Sasha's hatching an egg today-" Shevan caught a ration biscuit thrown at his head by the redhead, ", er, I mean, I think I'm up for going on the explorer team today." he said, looking at the hardtack.

"I hope you're a better explorer than a hunter, archer!" Gelik said, looking the half-asleep man over.

Ashana emerges from her tent, her ears pinned back and her pupils and tail enlarged. She stumbles over to the fire and mumbles "Coffee please...and make it strong"

"My - what big fur you have! Our mysterious cat person looks like she had another one of those dreams! Better than waking up to see an undead First Mate at your feet, I bet!" Gelik chuckled, getting Ashana a mug of the plant-derived stimulant. "Mind the grounds." the gnome told the cat-woman. "A proper mortar and pistle would be ideal, if you adventurers can recover one from a shipwreck today."

Gelik took in the surrounding jungle with the rising level of sunlight. "Well then." he asked the three explorers sitting around the campfire. "Who do you take with you today, since we have an expectant mother?" Gelik's eyes shifted to Sasha, then looked at Shevan and Varash.

Adriano nods to Ishirou then walks over to Jask the young priest puts his hand on Jask's shoulder "Don't worry sir we haven't given up on you, we are still looking for the papers to clear your good name.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

help on the roll people the virtual dice hate me.

There isn't much of a chance I'd be able to help, I'm not gonna risk damage.

How about you, Shevan? You feel like coming out today?

(Wow. That's a...really bad dice roll. Just not a "1". Fortunately Jask's Will save this morning was higher.)

Jask looked hopefully at the sunrise, then back at his recently-manacled hands. "I appreciate the effort, good cleric." he told Adriano. "If you are looking for shipwrecks, then a Shackles ship Captain's papers might hold a clue as to my innocence. It is strange, but I pray several Shackles privateers met their end on these shores!" The middle-aged cleric spat out the last line, his hands clenching.

Shevan finished a long draught on his cup. "Yes." he declared, his voice stronger than before. "Let me get my studded leather on, and I will join you today. This paladin of Erastil will prove his worth!"

Ashana takes the cup of coffee and takes a few shorts sips from it, making a face like she doesn't enjoy the taste. Once Shevan agrees to join them on their search of the island Ashana nods and excuses herself from the fire to get dressed. When she reammerges her tail is back to its normal size and she seems to be a little bit more perky.

"So where to today? Seeing how we still have a prisoner who's name we need to clear and we are in desperate need of better coffee I think we should start checking more ship wrecks around the island today."

Alrighty then. So, which way are we going today, then? Anyone have any suggestions?

"From what you've told me, the shipwrecks appear to be all on the outside curve of the Shiv." Gelik said thoughtfully.

Having finished getting his armor on, Shevan is ready.

Adriano nodding at Jask as he head over toward Gelik and where the rest of the group is, then turns to Gelik "On this trip we are going to also try to grab so fresh meat and maybe some greens to help brighten the mood, I believe the last real meal we had wwas poisoned."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Waiting on the result of that Diplomacy, and then we can go, I think?

yup, i think that is the second best i have made, hopefully it helps with Gelik Tude

The gnome's face got red, an immediate retort on his lips, when he saw Adriano's face and calmed down. "My cooking! Er, that is, I'll have you know I won standing ovations from taverns in Magimar, sun cleric. Nice try." Gelik stroked his beard. "And as the Pathfinders taught me, 'Don't criticize the only cook in the party'. Be glad it wasn't that ship's cook making soup again!" The little man chucked, then waved the adventurers off.

(Gelik's Morale is already high, and that roll isn't good enough to raise his Attitude, just reinforce it.)

(If there are no more attempts...)

The four of you, Shevan bringing up the rear, head out to the beach on the east side of the Shiv. The northern region is now explored, so the obvious direction is south. You cannot see anything because of the extreme curve of the beach, and the cliff that rises from the sand to the jungle level. But it is a bright, sunny morning, with the noises of the jungle and beach loud in your ears.

just trying all the people Adriano has dealt with

Adriano starts to whistle a bit, being in a good mood because of the shining sun.

Ashana bends her ears back a little and looks curiously at Adriano. "That noise...how do you do that?"

Sorry, didn't realize that there were posts here.

Phillip walks along steadily, hand resting on the hilt of his rapier.

Whistling? It's easy. Make a tiny circle with your lips, put your tongue just behind your teeth, and blow.

Phillip begins whistling too, his notes similar, but off-key with the tune Adriano was whistling.

Sorry Ashana your post didn't come through on the RSS

Adriano coming back to to the world from his day dream of home and the songs of his mother. Hearing Phillip's explanation he replies to Ashana.

"Sorry sometimes that song takes me home. But you do it just like Phillip said, but there are other ways to do it as well if I can find what I need I will show you those."

Ashana will try doing it but she ends up just spitting everywhere. "Hmm...that didn't work." she says blushing slightly.

We're being so stealthy as we walk around this dangerous island lol

(Everyone seems ready!)

Nonchalantly moving down the beach, you barely travel for an hour before you notice some barrier islands rising from the water. (See the map, the first of the three-and-a-half islands on the east side.) At first you see just an outcropping topped by some grass and a few trees. But when you go further down the beach and look back, all of you see a ship, crashed on the south side of the rocks of the island. The ship is large enough to be worth exploring.

(It's a Swim check to get to the island.)

Well, are we gonna go check that out? I know you don't like to swim, Ashana but it looks like we're going to have to to get over there.

Phillip manifests his Astral Skin, ready to get going.

Ashana will dip her ears back and sigh "Well it will help cool me off at least...and we better find something...I'd hate to get wet for nothing"

She will then head towards the water and head out with the rest of the party.

Swim check:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Swim: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

Forgot the check earlier. He'll also assist anyone who needs help. He's got a swim speed of 40, but he'll hang out behind everybody to help.

Adriano looks out to the island hoping he can get there with out drowning or making a fool of himself.

Swim 1d20 ⇒ 4

Adriano walks out to about his chest and hits a sink hole sliding under water taking in a mouthful of water, then drags himself to shore hoping to try again when he has caught his breath.

1d20 ⇒ 1
1d20 ⇒ 19
1d20 ⇒ 18

(Just ignore the above post. A slip of the keyboard.)

Shevan decided to unstring his bow before going into the salt water. Seeing Adriano falter, Shevan hit the same hole in the sand. (Swim check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9) "Just my luck! Give me -ack- a minute!" he called out to Phillip.

Shevan paused, panting, before taking a deep breath and fighting his way through the waves again. (Swim check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

The large man, sending up spray with each stroke, began swimming to the outcropping.

Adriano watched Shevan faulter then try again so he tried again as well

swim:1d20 ⇒ 6

the current pulled Adriano under again but this time he kept trying

swim:1d20 ⇒ 19

With much sputtering, Phillip helping first Adriano and then Shevan and Ashana, the four made their way to the shipwrecked vessel on the barrier island.

The small ship lay cracked in half on the tiny island. White paint on the bow declared the ship to be "Tears of Grog". Oars lay broken from the side ports. A single mast rose broken off the single deck. The ship was low and ugly, meant for war or slaving, not for the open seas. The poop deck was burned away as if by fire. The ship looked thirty or forty years old.

(All of you can easily climb the side to the single deck - no Climb check needed. Map to follow. Give me a Perception check once you get onto the deck.)

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 11

I'm not sure if we're going to find something after all, Ashana. This thing looks pretty beaten up. You may have swum over here for nothing.

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Perception check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Shevan drug himself over the side. "Let's...find..ships...closer...to...shore." he puffed. The ravenhair lifted himself to his feet, looking around. "All right, it's not a merchant ship, it's more like a slave galley..." his voice trailed off on the last.

Perception:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

(Sigh. The usual on Perception.)

Bones lie strewn everywhere. The oarsmen are the only thing intact - four skeletons lie unshackled on the benches. It looks like there could have been a battle, from the damage you see in the walls and deck. The floor creaks warningly at your weight, but seems solid enough. But the worm-ridden wood is worthless, the metal points rusted solid on the ship.

Before anyone can do much more than catch your breath, the skeletons stir, their empty sockets looking up at you. Two of them shake their manacled fists at you, as if in defiance.

(Roll for initiative and place yourselves on the map.)

Shevan: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Are you really surprised? Even those with decent mods are blind in this party.

even with a plus 7 I still flubbed it, Blarg I think the hat is getting in the way.

Initiative 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12